Losing It
by Diamondbreeze
Summary: The team has had a normal day. Fighting, bickering, laughing, and cracking jokes, it's been a good morning. But when they get called in to defeat a new enemy, are they able to save the day? Even if the enemy knew their weaknesses? Rated T because I'm doing that for all my stories.


Hi everybody. I was searching Fanfiction stories, and I was horrified. HORRIFIED! There were a bunch of stories that were so, filthy, I wanted to hurl. Blech! Of course, I searched up stories, and couldn't get a description first, because I'm stupid, and my brain is now scarred. For life. But, as a loyal writer, *woo!* I am going to write a short, one-shot that is clean! I'm taking a break from the warriors, and my story, Into Shadows, because my attention span is very short. :) Just a warning, this is a little whumpy, but not too much. Anyways, I hope you like this. It's for my unsatiable imagination. Oh, and if you want to, (because you really don't have to) give me a review. I love them. Really nice. ;D

Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers. I would love to, but I don't.

* * *

The dawn was beautiful. Breathtaking really. The glowing gold of the sun blended perfectly with the dark night sky. But, of course, Tony was bottled up in his lab, working on something. Who knows what.

Steve walked into the kitchen, already dressed for the day. His brain searched for something to do, and finally, he decided to make the team breakfast. He walked over to the kitchen and started to take out some pans and some coffee grounds. Colombian was a little strong for his taste, but hey, why not? He personally liked Arabic coffee, but for some reason that Steve didn't know, Tony wouldn't allow it. Something about Afghanistan and water. Weird, huh?

He poured a miniscule amount of oil in a frying pan and turned the knob on the stove to high. He knew he didn't need to do any of this himself, but considering he was like, ninety years old, he wouldn't allow Jarvis to do it for him. Not a huge fan of technology.

His attention turned toward the coffee-maker, and he poured a cup of coffee grounds into the filter. In the Avenger's tower, even tis massive amout probably wouldn't be enough. When he filled to coffee-maker with water, and became satisfied with the soothing rumble it emitted, he cracked three eggs expertly into the frying pan. He smiled at the familiar sound. At least cooking didn't change much.

"Smells good. Got any bacon there? I'd love some."

Steve turned and gave a friendly nod at Clint. He was dressed in a black tank-top and Frosty-the-Snowman pajama pants.

"Not yet. Cooking the eggs first. How do you like yours?"

Clint stroked his imaginery beard in thought as he jumped onto the top of the fridge.

"Hmmm. You ask such challenging questions, don't you Cap?"

Steve smiled and shook his head. He turned his attention to the eggs again.

"How do you like your eggs?"

"Easy. I like dipping my toast in 'em."

Rogers gave a grunt of aknowledgement and flipped the eggs over expertly.

"You'll have to wait then, these are well-done."

Clint looked at them like they were poisonous, but smiled.

"Just save them for Tasha. She likes 'em like that."

"Yes, I do."

Clint jumped as the red-head sauntered in, hair still messy. She gave him a quick glare, which he took as a hello, and leaned on the counter next to him.

"You have the coffee running?"

Steve nodded and slid the plate of eggs toward her. She thanked him and dug in, while Clint was smart enough not to comment. Don't mess with a woman while she was eating.

Soon, the Avengers were all seated in the kitchen, making small talk. Except Tony. Bruce was the first to notice.

"Hey, anybody gonna' invite Tony?"

Nobody spoke up. Steve looked around at them in understanding. They loved each other to death. They were a team. But messing with Tony while he was in his zone...not such a good idea.

Bruce sighed and stood up, his hands wrapped around a hot mug of coffee.

"Fine. But next time he stays down there for two days, somebody else is dragging his sorry butt up here for breakfast."

Natasha looked up at him. She knew he meant her, as the rest of the team had already dragged him up at least once already.

Bruce walked down toward Tony's lab. He had Jarvis let him in and turned down the blasting music.

"HEY TONY!"

Tony jumped up and hit his head on the underside of his car. He spat out some colorful words, but climbed out from under his car, grease all over his hands and arms.

"What? I'm a little busy. My baby is gonna' drive fast when I'm done with her." He jerked his head toward the Corvair he was working on.

Bruce chuckled. "That totally sounded weird."

Tony gave him an annoyed look, a smile pulling on his lips.

"You, Dr. Banner, have a dirty mind."

Bruce smiled again and turned toward his friend. "Hey, can you spare a few minutes?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't know. Why? Like I said before, I'm kinda' in the middle of something."

Bruce gave him his best evil glare. "We have breakfast upstairs. And I know you haven't eaten in a while. We wanted you to come up and eat with us."

Stark grumbled. "But I don't want to leave. Back me up, Jarv."

"Sir doesn't want to leave, Dr. Banner."

Bruce thought for a moment. "Jarvis, what if I told you this was for Tony's well-being?"

"Then I would have to agree with you. Sir, you will have to leave with Dr. Banner." If possible, Jarvis sounded pleased with himself.

"Fine, mother."

The doctor ignored him as they tracked upstarirs and into the kitchen. Tony walked up to the coffee machine and would've hugged it, had it not been burning hot. He grabbed a mug from his cabinet and poured some coffee into it. When they were all seated in chairs, (Clint didn't want to get off of the fridge for a while), Steve motioned to them.

"What're you guys going to do today?"

Everybody shrugged at the same time.

"I don't know. I was just hoping for a break from all the fighting. I'm sore from last week." Tasha said, taking a sip from her black coffee.

"Bruce frowned. "Don't say that. Now we'll probably have a mission."

Thor interrupted. "On Asgard, that thinking is regarded as superstition, Dr. Banner."

Tony chuckled, taking another hungry sip of his coffee.

"Yeah, green-man. That tis regarded as superstition, Dr. Banner."

Thor scowled at Tony. He hated it when a Midgardian made fun of his speech. It wasn't like he made fun of their inferior technology or strength.

Natasha elbowed Tony in the face, while Clint had to supress a laugh.

"Geez, Tony. You're really not havin' a good day, are you?"

Tony rubbed his nose, his eyes watering as he gave Clint a death glare. But all he could muster up was a quick, "Shut-up."

Steve decided to let them talk, as he gathered up all of the dirty dishes left by the team. And, as usual, only Bruce said a polite thank-you as the plates and mugs were carried away. When he walked back, Natasha had Tony in an armlock, Clint was teaching Thor how to play rock-paper-scissors, and Bruce was just sitting on the counter, tapping away silently on a tablet.

Soon, another red-head walked into the room. She walked over to Tony, who was currently laughing his head off as Natasha tightened her armlock, pecked a quick kiss on his cheek, and stepped carefully over them to go to the coffee.

Bruce smiled and shook his head. Only Pepper...

Steve was the one that finally intervened, as he pried Natasha away from Tony, who began to rub his elbow and shoulder.

"I trust Natasha, so what did you do, Tony?"

Tony's face was masked with surprise. "Why do you think I did anything? Didn't you know she is a demon-child?"

Natasha smiled and growled at him. Steve glared at her.

"Not helping, Tasha."

She shrugged, her arms crossed in indifference.

Suddenly, the t.v. turned on, and Fury's face appeared on it. Tony scowled.

"I'm the genius here! You're not supposed to turn on my tv!"

Fury maintained his calm face, though a smug smile was trying to break through.

"There is a situation in the city. Seems like some guy named Vinelli tried making a suit like Tony's. It isn't as good, and doesn't have an arc reactor, but it still does pack a punch."

Natasha snorted. "Tony's weak. This'll be easy." She smiled brightly at Tony, who was glaring at her again.

Fury frowned. "Actually, Romanoff, he has some friends in Asgard.?"

Thor turned, his face hard, cold.

"What has happened?"

Fury sighed. "It seems like he invited a party of some weird rhinocerous-looking things. Only, they're a lot bigger."

Thor scowled. Then, to the team's amazement, he swore. Tony looked at him differently.

"Thor, I will never make fun of you again. You are now offically an Avenger."

"Shut it, Stark." Fury bit out, before the screen went blank.

Clint looked down at Tony with a smile.

"Yeah, what he said."

* * *

"Clint and Bruce, you'll go around and behind. Tony and Thor, you'll go to the tops of the buildings, see what you can scout out. Natasha and I'll attack from the front. Questions?"

Steve waited, and Tony flung his hand in the air. Steve sighed.

"Yes, Stark?"

"Is it too late to go to the bathroom?"

Clint let out a laugh, while Thor looked at Tony inside the suit.

"Can you not relieve yourself inside the suit of armor?"

The mechanical head swiveled to look at the god.

"Um, I never really installed a system for that."

Steve facepalmed. "Tony-"

Tony laughed. "I'm just kidding. I don't have to take a pee."

Natasha frowned. "Ugh."

Bruce chuckled, but spoke. "Uh, shouldn't we be going now?"

A monster roared in the distance.

"Yeah."

Clint smiled and whooped, as Bruce hulked out, and even let him ride on his back.

Steve smiled and shook his head. Tony saluted to him as he grabbed Thor and flew off, up to the tops of the buildings. Natasha and Steve were left.

She crept over to the side of a building, and Steve followed. He mustered up the courage and asked,

"What's the plan?"

She raised her eyebrows and looked at him. "Um, aren't you the one that usually comes up with the plans?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. So, we wait?"

Then it was her turn to shrug. "I don't care."

She peered over the side of the building they were hiding behind. Then she turned around and faced Steve again.

"They're about a block away. You want to go out and fight now?"

He readied his shield and nodded. Natasha went out first, shooting, summing up the enemy. She turned on her communicator.

"They have really thick scales. I'd say about three inches thick, considering my bullets didn't do any damage. Stark!"

"Yes, my lady."

"Don't call me that. I need you to try and find some weaknesses. And Clint, some explosive arrows would be usful right now."

"Yes, boss. Whatever you say, boss." Tony answered.

"Shut-up."

Steve smiled and shook his head. The monsters were approaching his building.

"Hey, Tasha. You have an extra gun?"

A gun and three grenades flew from across the street.

"Thanks."

Natasha spoke into the communicator. "I don't know why you never bring your own."

Clint interrupted them. "Yeah, spangly-man. What's up with not having any of your own weapons?"

"I don't know. I never really ask for any. And I don't think Tony'd want to make any for me."

"Sure I would, you just never asked." Tony replied. "Oh, and I haven't seen that V guy yet. You guys seen him?"

"No." The team said all at once.

"Thanks, but I don't think you needed to tell me Thor. You're right next to me."

"Sorry, Man-of-Iron."

"s'okay buddy."

Soon, the whole team was delved into fighting. Steve was actually quite skilled with a gun, he acurrately shot in the weak spots he could find, though the only weak spots were in between the toes. Suddenly, Tony's voice broke the silence. It wasn't an actual silence, but the silence between communicators.

"Guys, I think V-man arrived."

Steve quickly became alert. "Be careful Stark. Only assess him. Don't tease him."

Tony's communicator was silent for a minute. Then, he spoke again. "Gotcha'. But, I think he already hates me."

Clint spoke up next. "Really? How did you figure that out? Was it that he copied your suit?"

Tony's snarky voice broke through the communicators. "No. He's flying straight at me."

* * *

Tony shot up into the air, leaving Thor alone on the roof of the building. The other suited man, who Tony nick-named as Vermin, narrowly missed him. Tony spoke.

"Hey Vermin, I think you suck at flying. And your suit looks like something that comes from the rear-end of a dog."

Vermin just laughed. "Is that really the best you can do?"

Tony shook his head. "No, but I promised Pepper I wouldn't swear in battle. She said it makes me do something stupid. But, I think I'll do something stupid anyway. Don't you?"

"No, I was referring to my nick-name. Vermin? That's just sad. But, I guess that does fit me well. You won't get rid of me, and I'm more annoying than your girlfriend."

Tony's voice glazed over with controlled anger.

"Don't talk about Pepper."

"Oh, seems like I've hit a soft spot. She's the stupid red-head, right?"

Tony's neck veins popped out, and his fists clenched. "Shut your mouth, Vermin."

Steve heard the conversation. He'd never actually realized how attached Tony was to Pepper. But in only two sentences, he was already edgy.

"Stark, don't let him get to you. He just wants you to get angry."

"Would you want him to say that about Peggy?" Tony spat out. Steve stayed quiet. "I didn't think so."

"She dump you yet?"

"Stark..."

"She will. You're not worth her time. Too pretty for you."

Tony was about to blow. This was going too far.

"Shut the hell up, Vermin!"

Steve intervened again. "Stark, calm down. He's trying to get you mad."

"Maybe after I get rid of you, I'll kill her too."

"Stark-"

"Shut UP!"

Tony launched at Vermin, his boosters at top speed. Vermin swerved out of the way, while Tony turned around and launched his hand repulsors at him. Vermin laughed again as he flew away, to the ground. Tony followed. They landed on the ground, oblivious to the things going on around them.

At each attack, Vermin swerved, and Tony missed. Finally, Vermin had the angle right. Tony launched at him, and he swerved to the right. Tony spun out of control, and two of the monsters were on him. Tony knew he was in trouble. He screamed into the communicator.

"Guys, I might need a little backup."

Though his words weren't panicked, the team heard the desparation in his voice.

Clint's worried voice broke in. "Don't worry, Tony. I'm on my way. Steve, can I borrow your motorcycle?"

"Um, it's back at the tower."

"Crap. I'm coming Tony."

"Quickly...Please."

Tony struggled. Jarvis was telling him that he was almost out of power, but he didn't listen. He couldn't listen. That stupid jerk had insulted and threatened Pepper. He was going to pay.

He tried to shoot the monsters with his foot boosters, but Vermin stepped on his legs. He leaned in close.

"Sorry Stark. You lost. And nobody is going to save you, or your precious Pepper."

He walked back and lowered his hands. Tony's eyes widened. The man was controlling the monsters. Suddenly, the man changed forms. Within thirty seconds, he had transformed into his favorite Asgardian.

Loki.

The monsters bowed their bulky heads to him, then turned on Stark. Tony struggled more, to no effect.

One monster picked him up in its giant jaws and bit down. Its jaws were like vices, clamping down. Tony again tried to struggle, but the fight was draining out of him as his armor bent down on his chest, restricting his breathing. Suddenly, the pressure released, and he fell to the ground. His arm was twisted awkwardly underneath him as he fell, and he felt his arm snap.

There were exploding noises, and he heard Clint talk to him through the communicator.

"Tony. Holy crap, Tony. Are you okay? I thought you were dead. Tony?"

"No. Not dead. Just broke my arm. Nothing serious."

Clint sighed in relief, and soon the fight was over. Bruce transformed back into human form, and fell to the ground in the tatters of his clothing. Natasha, the teammate with the most medical experience ran around, helping. Soon, she had everyone's wounds wrapped in gauze, or in Tony's case, splinted. Clint looked at him, and Tony understood. There was nothing to say.

* * *

"Thor! Where are all my poptarts!?"

"I am sorry, friend Stark. They were irresistible."

"You're going to have to buy me more!"

"Tony, you're a billionaire. Why don't YOU just buy them?"

"Yes, friend Stark. Listen to Clint's words. They tell sense. And I sadly do not own any of your strange money."

"Eh. I'm kidding anyway. But you're going to get fat if you keep eating all my poptarts."

"Stark, just shut-up. You're not getting anywhere with this."

"Nobody asked you, Tash."

"Hey! What're we talking about?"

"Poptarts, Bruce. Always about poptarts."

"Oh, well, are there any there? A poptart sounds good right now."

"No. That's what they're talking about."

"Well, you could've kept him in the dark alittle longer, Steve."

"Um, why would I do that, Stark?"

"'Cause. It would've been funny."

"I don't think having me in the dark would've been funny."

"Nobody asked you, Bruce."

"Hey, that's my line, Tasha!"

"I need sustinence! More poptarts!"

"Hey, big guy, you ATE all my poptarts!"

"Ahem."

The T.V. screen was on, and Fury was looking at the team with an amused grin.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I just want to congratulate you on your performance yesterday."

"Thanks. I really didn't do much though. Except blow up a monster head."

"Yeah. I did all the work. Saving your rich butt."

"Okay, I'm gonna' go now. Congrats."

"WAIT!"

"Yes, Thor?" Fury sighed.

Thor blushed a deep red.

"Do you have any poptarts?"

* * *

I know, pretty dumb, but I was feeling loony. So here it is. I hope it wasn't too much. Review if you want. Love you guys.

-Diamondbreeze


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